Discover Sherwood Park Strathcona County April 2016 | Page 30
Communities
Hastings Lake
The hamlet of Hastings Lake is located approximately 40
kilometres east of Sherwood Park and can be reached either
by taking Highway 14 or Wye Road. The lake was renamed in
1884 for Tom Hastings, a member of Tyrell’s geological survey
party. The original name was a-ka-ka-kwa-tikh, which in the
Cree language means “the lake that does not freeze”. In 1988,
Kawtihk Recreational Retreat opened as the only commercially operated facility on the lake.
Also found on Hastings Lake are the privately owned Legion of Frontiersmen.
The hamlet itself consists of a mix of 92 full time residences and summer cott ages. With
its natural shoreline and many islands, Hastings Lake is home to many species of water
birds, including the White Pelican and the Cormorant – making it a popular bird watching
destination. The islands of Hastings Lake were named as one of the “Special Places 2000” by
the Alberta Government. The large forested area in the Hastings Lake Watershed is a key area
for moose and white-tailed deer.
With close proximity to the Cooking Lake-Blackfoot Wildlife Grazing and
Provincial Recreation Area and the Waskahegan Staging Area, many hiking
and cross-country skiing possibilities exist. The Canadian Birkebeiner Ski
Festival takes place on the second Saturday in February every winter. This
world renowned event is a premier, affordable, family-oriented, crosscountry ski event honouring the spirit of the Norwegian Birkebeiner
legend.
Just 4km south of the lake on Range Road 204 is Hasting Lake Hall.
Since the 1940s and with the help of the dedicated volunteers, the
hall has been a centre for local gatherings and popular annual events.
For hall bookings see page 43.
Josephburg
Pioneer families who settled
around
what
would
become the hamlet of
Josephburg arrived
from Austria in the
1890s.
Most
recent
population count is 233.
Josephburg is an active farming
community near the Scotford
industrial area, home to world-class petrochemical industries. It is
10 minutes south east of Fort Saskatchewan in the northern portion of
Strathcona County.
The hamlet is home to a 4500 foot airport which is not only used by industry but also many
recreational flyers. In addition to the airport, the hamlet is situated next to a secondary
highway and the CP rail line.
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